Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Town Hall

Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Town Hall

In 2017, the UN passed a resolution to host a UN High Level
Meeting (HLM) on Universal Health Coverage (UHC), the first of its kind. In
September 2019, Member States will convene during the UN General Assembly to
discuss prioritization of UHC at the country level.

Several mechanisms exist at a global level for civil society and
community stakeholders to influence the HLM’s final outcome document and how it
will lay the foundation for achieving UHC. Additionally, civil society and
community stakeholders, particularly those from affected populations, have an
important role in mobilizing their members and holding governments accountable
through their advocacy efforts. What is less clear, is how civil society and
communities can advocate most effectively at the local level over the next
several months and beyond the UN meeting to influence policy and program decisions
that will have an impact in how their own country sets a path to achieve UHC.

Members of the Civil Society Engagement Mechanism for UHC2030
(CSEM) have led global and national consultations in an effort to insert civil
society and community perspectives in the lead up to the HLM. These engagements
and learnings will be valuable for other stakeholders to replicate, if HLM
recommendations and related commitments are to be person-centered and best
serve civil society and community needs.